January 2017

Operation Gelding Updates

January 14, 2017Hope in the Valley Equine Rescue, Valley Center, KSWe are excited to announce that this group will be gelding their 100th stallion during this clinic!February 25, 2017Brandon Equine Medical Center, Brandon, FLMarch 11, 2017South Alabama Equine Rescue, Lapine, AL​See the full clinic schedule HERE.

​CONGRATULATIONS!Lacey Edge and Kaye Garrison hit a milestone last month, gelding the 100th stallion at their 7th Operation Gelding clinic. Read the story below.

The UHC Roundup

​The Media Roundup is now the UHC Roundup, a publication with a new name and a broader scope. In addition to news articles and events, the UHC Roundup highlights member programs and success stories spanning all breeds, disciplines, and regions, plus it has a new photo feature and a link to the UHC Blog.

If you wish to share your story of unwanted horses becoming wanted again, contact UHC Director, Jennifer Purcell, at jpurcell@horsecouncil.org.

UHC Program News and Updates

Happy New Year! As the calendar turns to 2017, some scheduling changes are happening at the UHC. Please note that staff will be available to respond to inquiries via phone on Tuesdays only and by email on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays each week. Our office hours may have shortened, but our programs and services will not change. ​

In The News

Last month, 43 articles were published about programs and events to help unwanted horses, showing that your efforts are being noticed!Click on the title to read the full article.​Other articles are listed below.

UHC Awards Gelding Vouchers to Giving Tuesday Contest Winner

Penn Vet to Establish Professorship in Equine Medicine

AHC Rallies Support for Economic Impact Study

A Rescue Horse Finds Holiday Joy in This Heartwarming Purina Spot

EQUUS Film Festival announces 2016 Winnie winners

AAEP Recognizes the Founder of Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Center

When Rescues Go Bad, Veterinarians Should Be Ready To Help

Horseback Rider To Embark On 620-Mile Trek

Apps for Equine Welfare

Feature Photo

Makita, Jess, and Buddy all live at TheraPony Horse Rescue and Sanctuary in Ramona, CA. Makita the paint was rescued from horse tripping, Jess was found as a skinny stray, and Buddy was a lesson horse until he went lame. Now they are a happy herd, enjoying being horses and entertaining visitors with their antics.

Thanks to Lana Russell for submitting this photo. ​Have a great photo and story to share?Email us.

Program Highlight: Minnesota Horse Council

The Minnesota Horse Council, a non-profit corporation, encourages and supports equine-related activities in the state of Minnesota. Founded in 1935, the Council evolved from a vehicle for horse owners to coordinate activities with the Minnesota State Fair Board into an umbrella organization uniting and supporting equine activities throughout the state. The MHC has been active in addressing the needs of unwanted horses through the Horse Welfare Committee since 2009 by offering gelding programs, the certified rescues program, and education about responsible ownership and care. The MHC was the first State Horse Council to join the Unwanted Horse Coalition. MHC members often go above and beyond for equine welfare. The MHC representative to the UHC, Dr. Tracy Turner, recently participated in the Equitarian Initiative to improve the lives of equines in Honduras. Check out the December 2016 issue of EQUUS magazine to read the story.​Read more about Minnesota Horse Council...

Success Story: 100 Geldings

​This month’s success story is not about a horse, rather a young lady who has hosted seven Operation Gelding clinics and has been responsible for gelding 100 stallions! Lacey Edge learned about the Operation Gelding program through the AQHA while doing research for a school project. She was 13 years old at the time. Knowing that there was a need for low-cost gelding services in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas, she approached her 4-H club about hosting a clinic. It was a resounding success, resulting in 20 new geldings. In fact, of the 26 clinics held in 2010, Lacey’s group was one of only two to reach the 20 stallion mark. This year, she reached another milestone as the first of 95 clinic organizers to hit 100 stallions gelded!

​The UHC is very grateful to the volunteers and veterinarians who give their time to host these clinics around the country. Through 2016, the program has funded the gelding of 1,562 stallions.

Rescue Row

Programs and People Supporting Rescue Efforts, Plus Two New GFAS Rescues

But first.... Check out webinars for rescue organizations through the ASPCA Equine Fund athttp://aspcapro.org/equine-webinarsTopics include fundraising, grant resources, stress management, and recruiting volunteers to name a few.

Did you see the new UHC Blog?Yes! We decided to it was time to write a blog and will include topics related to industry programs and responsible ownership. Thanks to our partners at Equine.com for posting it on the A Home For Every Horsewebsite.​This month's entry is about the gelding village.What do you think about the new UHC Roundup?Click on the link below to complete a quick 90-second survey about the new content and design. We value your feedback and wish to provide you with information that is important to you. Thank you for your support of the Unwanted Horse Coalition.TAKE THE SURVEY NOW

The mission of the Unwanted Horse Coalition is to reduce the number of unwanted horses and to improve their welfarethrough education and industry collaboration.

This newsletter is provided as an educational service to those interested in reducing the number of unwanted horses. The articles do not reflect the opinions of the UHC or its employees. The listing of events does not constitute an endorsement by the UHC. If you would like to be removed from this mailing, please click here and let us know.